In the packaging of small relatively hard objects such as pills, capsules, lozenges, and the like it is necessary to first order the objects in a row. German 2,055,598 of List describes a complex machine for doing this. Then the objects are fed in rows through individual passages down to a passing sheet or web formed with a plurality of longitudinally extending rows of upwardly open pockets or blisters. Each feed passage opens immediately above a respective one of the rows of pockets so that, as the sheet moves horizontally past, the lowermost object in each passage will drop into the pocket. Under ideal circumstances each object will generally fill the respective pocket generally up to the plane of the top face of the sheet, so that the object immediately above it in the passage will be held up until the sheet advances and the next pocket aligns with the passage and it can move down. German utility model 6,600,893 describes a system for detecting that the pockets are properly filled, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,090,610 describes an arrangement for pushing aside filled packages that are too big.
It is, however, fairly common for the objects, particularly when they are pills, to break into two or more parts. In this situation a fragment of an object will lodge in the pocket, and part of the trailing object will also fit down into the pocket and be entrained downstream as the sheet is advanced. There will therefore be a pocket with an object projecting upward above the plane of the upper face of the sheet formed with the pockets. An attempt to scrape off or remove this partially projecting object can damage the sheet or break the object. Alternately, if it is left in place and an attempt is made to seal a top foil down over the sheet and thereby upwardly close the pockets and seal in the objects, the top foil cannot fit in place and will be held up, spoiling the entire package and possibly tearing the top foil.